Why Chromecast is no replacement for Apple TV...yet!

Google Chromecast might well be an exciting new product, and it might well only cost $35, but there's still some inherent let downs and frustrations for early adopters. Particularly it seems, streaming live YouTube events to your Google dongle is a no-go area right now. Android Central Forums member danrad55 writes:

I was looking for some help "Chromecasting" the LIVE Lollapalooza Concert from Chicago with my new Google Chromecast via Youtube as promised, but no luck. Yesterday it wouldn't play so I thought that because it was new, they were having some start up issues. Today the concert plays better but no Chromecast. Anyone else have the same issue? It plays other feeds, Netflix beautifully. I decided to plug in my Apple TV and try streaming using my iPad 2. Perfect. I have tried using my PC and Samsung S4 to no avail. Bummed and disappointed and sadly, I have to admit that at this point the Apple System is kicking ass. Anyone here know how to stream the Live feed. Thanks in advance.

We're not ripping on the Chromecast here, because truth told, we're excited to see what it brings to the table in the coming months. But, YouTube is a Google product, and it seems in some aspects it isn't working well with other Google products. Yet in strolls the Apple TV and AirPlay to rescue danrad55 in his hour of need. Sure, licensing and such may well be an issue, but it's still good to see that the Apple TV is packing where and when it matters.

So, have any of you guys taken the plunge with Chromecast yet, and if so, have you encountered any early frustrations? Be sure to drop us a line in the comments, and with your Mobile Nations Passport, jump into the discussion in the Android Central Forums!

Reader comments

Why Chromecast is no replacement for Apple TV...yet!

I feel like being its what 2 weeks old things like this happen. Once the devs are able to release more apps for it hopefully things get cleared up. And hopefully google can get it all straightened out with why it wouldn't work for this user.

Still waiting for it to arrive since I didn't hop on right away. The only thing i'm interested in is the part where I can travel with it easily..netflix in the hotel for the kiddo, etc.. I see the Apple TV as something else that stays in my tv room.

You get what you pay for.
In the case of Chromecast you get;
Poor audio and video quality.
Little content.
No 5ghz..in a video streamer device!
Google tracking and selling all your viewing habits.
Lock in to Google so they can track your viewing habits through Chrome as well as the device.

chromecast is basically just airplay. but it's not all of appletv or similar hardware (wdtv, roku,etc.)
Those other devices play content from an external hard drive, networked or directly. Some play a wider variety of content containers. Chromecast doesn't do that easily. i think it can with using a browser to enter file paths but the others you just aim the remote and navigate. Also the simple fact that the others have a remote and aren't tied to a devices makes it different. But everybody has differnent needs. I've got a couple external drive with nearing 2gbs of movies, home movies, music vids, sports games, and music many in older formats or newer mkv. I don't netflix or stream music so i need usb ports, codec support but don't need to beam netflix or youtube to a tv. I need to beam my content from my hard drive to my tv. And chromecast isn't as great at that yet. But i'm hopping Google releases a full fledged apple tv competing device complete with usb ports, chromecast inside, access to my google music files, and great codec support.

Hello everyone,
Listen, is it the last 2 firmware updates for Apple TV2.
I have tested every version Of iTunes that supports the Home Sharing. Every version has failed! My 1st Apple TV2 had no problems @ all. All my problems started the day I bought my 2nd Apple TV2. The Day I setup the 2nd ATV2 it ran the update. The same day my 1st ATV2 updated to the same firmware and ever since nothing seems to work right, Netflix drops, Home Sharing drops. FYI - I have been troubleshooting every suggestion on the theres Forums. None! have Worked!!Apple you need to fix the ATV2 or start refunds peoples money
I have tried both Wireless and Hardwired with Cat6 running @ a full Gig. bandwith, never get over 3% bandwith utilization when both ATV2s are working. I ask Apple if I could down grade the firmware but nope you can't do that either. If Apple doesn't get this fixed then my ATV2s are going on ebay!!

It's obvious this clown just doesn't have it set up right. I have both iPhone 5 and several Android top devices. I have 2 Chromecast gadgets and they work flawlessly. This site is getting more ridiculous daily. It seems this site is running out of content to discuss with their readers so they try to find a Google product that is inferior to the IOS product. Chromecast is fantastic, I can run just about anything on my Android phone on to my huge home TV's. YouTube, Netflex, mirror everything on my phone. Hulu is right around the corner and now the device has root. For the IOS uses I won't get into what this means but the sky is the limit. For $35.00 this is a no brainer. What I really enjoy is when I travel I take it with me and set it up in my hotel room.

There are many imore forum members who have many issues with the Apple TV. You don't see Android Central writing a story about one members problem. Waste of good space. Write about the new iPhone not about crap. Chromecast is a gteat product. Just My Opinion.

My theory, as I have not taken my shiny new Chromecast to a hotel yet, that might get you at least an unsatisfying start at this.

1) connect your laptop to hotel wifi and go through whatever hoops are required to get Internet access.
2) Use Chromecast app on your Android phone (available free from the play store) to connect the Chromecast to the hotel wifi. Note this will connect it to the wifi, but for hotels that make you go through a browser and accept terms or enter a password, it won't get you to the Internet. If your hotel doesn't require this browser step, you are ready to go just like at home. If not...
4) Now you can use your laptop's chrome browser to send whatever you want to TV via the cast a tab function (Netflix worked well at home for me), but cannot use your phone. Chrome should work because it is grabbing from the Internet and passing it to your Chromecast. Other apps that tell the Chromecast to go get its own content from the web, such as netflix for Android, won't work, but Netflix for Chrome should work OK as it will cast from a Chrome tab at my house.
5) Keep hoping that Google adds cast a tab to Chrome for Android (and a way to reduce the processor workload so a phone can do it), so you can take the laptop out of this loop.